Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is located in Whiskeytown, California. Established back in 1965, the park is a nature lover’s dream nestled at the intersection between the Klamath Mountain range and the Sacramento Valley. Visitors can look forward to all sorts of outdoor recreation here, such as camping, swimming, boating, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, and hiking.
On top of 36 miles of shoreline along Whiskeytown Lake, the park is surrounded by gorgeous beaches, mountains, waterfalls, towering Ponderosa pines, oak woodlands, and 70 miles of hiking trails. Visitors can also try their luck panning for gold and tracing the park’s history back to the days of the California Gold Rush. The area is home to a vast array of fascinating wildlife and birds, so keep your eyes peeled for nesting bald eagles, osprey, deer, and bears.
As Whiskeytown has a Mediterranean climate, visitors will enjoy hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The scorching summer months reach well into the 90s and often peak over 100 degrees Fahrenheit - perfect for lake activities and lazy beach days! In the winter months you can expect snow on the mountains as well as plenty of rain.
There are quite a few campgrounds to choose from within the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Some cater for tents only and others to RVs and trailers only. If you’d prefer more primitive sites you can reserve the basic campsites or otherwise book a free permit to enjoy backcountry camping in a quiet spot of your choosing.